


One more mouth to feed

by Vixen86



Category: The Seven Realms Series - Cinda Williams Chima
Genre: Canon Compliant, Other, Pre-Canon, Seven years before the Demon King, ragmarket
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25513069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vixen86/pseuds/Vixen86
Summary: Out of nowhere, a horrible scream pierced his ears. Only someone in mortal danger could’ve produced a sound like that. His heartbeat reverberated in his throat, lips and fingertips, as realization dawned on him: the scream had come from inside the stable. Mam!Nine year old Han Alister is about to meet a family member for the first time.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	One more mouth to feed

Han was running down the streets of Ragmarket, giddy with the prospect of eating the fresh bread he carried in his bag. He was both excited and anxious to get home, for he knew Mam would appreciate the food he brought to the table, but would punish him for the way he’d come by it, just the same. His feet pounded on the cobblestones, the early autumn wind was ruffling his hair, and the sun, still low on the horizon, rendered it pure gold. There was beauty in the ugliness of Ragmarket, Han thought, as the ramshackle buildings flashed by. Panting, he came to a stop in front of a heavy stable door. There was a small room above it, which was home to him and his mother.   
Out of nowhere, a horrible scream pierced his ears. Only someone in mortal danger could’ve produced a sound like that. His heartbeat reverberated in his throat, lips and fingertips, as realization dawned on him: the scream had come from inside the stable. Mam! 

Forgetting he was nine years old, armed with only a knife, and in no way a match for whoever he would find inside, he pushed open the door and ran up the stairs two steps at a time. He pulled up short in the doorway to their homestead, dumbfounded by what he saw inside. His mother was half sitting, half lying in the far corner of the room, leaning on both hands for support. Her legs were spread wide and she had her knees pulled up. The hem of her dress was soaked through with what appeared to be blood and… _other_ fluids. Her braid had all but come undone, strands of strawlike hair were plastered to her face. Han stared at the scene in front of him, feeling paralyzed. Mam needed a healer for sure, but where could he find one? And, more importantly, how would he _pay_ for one? Between two gut-wrenching screams that sounded as if they were coming from the Demon King himself, his mother noticed him.  
“Blood of the Demon, don’t just stand there. Fetch me some hot water and towels,” she snapped hoarsely. Her hands cast about frantically for something to fling at him, but, luckily, came up empty. “ _Now_ , boy. Or I _will_ come over there and make you!” Han was startled into obedience, though he could tell she was in no condition to keep that promise. As fast as he could he dragged their heavy cast iron kettle to the nearest pump to fill it. He had to slow down on his way back up the stairs to prevent the water from spilling over and thus forcing him to repeat the whole endeavor. Back in the room, he tried to kindle a fire with shaking hands, and cursed as he burned his fingertips. “You watch that mouth of yours,” Mam growled, ever the parent, even in her current state. She seemed to have worsened over the last few minutes. Her eyes had a dull feverish glow to them and she looked like she was about to faint. Han paced back and forth nervously as he willed the water to boil, making his mother even more snappish than she already was. “Stop that and get over here. Now! I need you.”

Feeling terrified and sickened by the constant assault on all of his senses, Han followed his mother’s orders the best he knew how. She used every curse under the sun for punctuation, and even some she must have made up on the spot. It went on for hours on end, the screams following each other up increasingly faster, eventually making way for strained grunts, alternated with series of quick exhales through the mouth. And then, finally, it was over, and Han was holding a newborn in his hands. Nauseated and fascinated by the sight at the same time, he took care not to drop the baby, who was slick with slime and grime. “Cut it loose,” his mother said. Han looked at her, mystified, and she pointed impatiently to the fleshy cord that tied mother and child together. It was a good thing Han Alister always had a blade at hand and knew how to use it. He expertly cut through the cord, and his mother thrust out her arms, silently ordering him to hand over the child. She dried it off with one of the cleaner looking towels, making sure to clear out the nose and mouth first, and then gently rubbed its back until it let out a gurgling cry. “Fetch me a blanket, will you?” Mam asked in a much kinder tone than she had used so far. Han obeyed, and went over to the sleeping corner to get one of their threadbare blankets. When he turned around, he found Mam bare-chested, the baby pressed close to her, making soft sucking noises. Immediately, he cast his eyes down, his cheeks on fire. He would’ve given anything, including the all but forgotten bread in his bag, to avoid having to look at his mother again.

“Hanson, come meet your sister.” Mam beckoned him to come forward, and took the blanket from his hands, which she, thank the Lady, used to cover up herself and the little girlie. Han studied his sister. She was a tiny wrinkly thing, barely recognizable as human. Blotches in all shades of red, blue and purple covered her skin. Her nose was no bigger than the top knuckle of his little finger. Han thought she was beautiful. Mam cradled the baby on one arm, and draped the other one around his shoulders to pull him in closer. Her face was pale with exhaustion, her mouth tight with worry, but her eyes were radiant with joy. She tucked his hair behind his ear, and gently pressed her hand to his cheek. Mother and son locked eyes, both thinking about what it meant to have an extra member added to their family, and both deciding to keep quiet for now.   
“What’s her name?” Han asked softly after a while.  
“She will be Maya Adrienne Alister,” Mam announced, naming the girlie after her own sister and mother, both of whom had died before Han was born. “Mari for short.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you have any comments, questions or amendments, please let me know.
> 
> I tried to write this story from the perspective of nine year old Han, and I thought that he wouldn't have realized right away what was going on. What do you think? And at what point in the story did it become apparent to you, as a reader, what was happening? I'm curious :).


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